Teas that Taste Like Dessert

I love having something sweet at the end of a meal. Not only does it satisfy my raging sweet tooth, but the ritual aspect of it lets my brain know that eating is over (well, most of the time). Unfortunately, too much sugar is not great for the body. It can cause weight gain, put you at risk for diabetes and increase your propensity for certain types of cancer. In fact, some believe that sugar makes cancer cells grow faster. Personally, I think that a life without sugar sounds kind of grim. Having said that, I have been making a concerted effort to cut WAY back. This is why I was so excited to discover these teas that taste like dessert.

August LA Tea

August LA is the brainchild of a husband and wife team of food enthusiasts. They approach tea the same way that a Michelin star chef approaches food. It’s a sensory experience of fabulous flavors. I first discovered the brand at one of my favorite restaurants here in LA, Bavel. They serve a fig and chamomile tea that is so good that I dream about it. When I asked where I could find it, the Bavel team pointed me to August LA.

While the Bavel brew is only available at the restaurant, I found a plethora of other options on the August LA website. I love that each one is its own, unique culinary experience. August LA is like the Hermes of teas. The price is high, but the craftsmanship is totally worth it. You can also order a 2-4 cup sample, which I recommend, of any flavor to make sure that you love it before investing in a bigger bag. While all of their teas are delicious, here are the three that I am indulging in most this winter.

Teas that Taste Like Dessert: Chocolate & Hazelnut

“Passage” is a Rich Black Tea with Hazelnut and Chocolate. One scoop brewed in an oversized mug with the August LA single cup infuser (check it out here), and 2 T of half & half is my go-to treat after lunch. It is seriously scrumptious. It has enough caffeine to get me through the afternoon slump, and it tastes like an edgier version of Nutella. If you don’t subscribe to my “tea is a vehicle for half & half” tenant, this tea is also delicious on its own.

Furthermore, black tea is great for your health. It is full of antioxidants, which combat free radicals, and drinking black tea is thought to also help prevent:

• atherosclerosis
• coronary heart disease
• stroke
• chronic kidney disease
• Parkinson’s disease

The compounds in black tea have even been found to reduce your risk of:

• skin, lung, breast & prostrate cancer
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• rheumatoid arthritis

Oh, and drinking black tea may improve bone density (a huge problem for those of us in menopause). Black tea is like the food version of a super hero.

“Big Easy” and “Days of Heaven”

So, if black tea is like Iron Man, green tea is like Thor — it packs a serious health punch. This is one of the many reasons to try August LA’s “Big Easy”, a delicate blend of sweet green tea, lemongrass, pineapple and barley. It’s mellower than “Passage” — more like a panna cotta than a flowerless chocolate cake. I love it mid-morning for a post breakfast pick-me-up, and it is divine iced in the summer.

My third choice for teas that taste like dessert, “Days of Heaven”, is caffeine-free. Since I can’t have caffeine after 4pm if I want to actually fall asleep at night, this yummy organic rhubarb, lemon verbena and chamomile blend is my ideal choice for after dinner. It tastes kind of like a fruit tart.

So, there you go. With these three August LA teas, you can have your cake, eat it and still fit in your jeans the next day.